how old for bunk beds?

lynnikins · Aug 29th, 2011, 07:56 AM

At what age would you put your child in a bunkbed? top bunk?

we are due our next baby in december and the boys room is a decent single but no room for twin beds , both the boys are big for their age and our eldest needs a full size single not a toddler/extendable style bed and we cant fit a toddlerbed and single in there, currently ds1 is on a camp/foldaway bed with a decent mattress caus its slim enough to fit with their drawers and the cotbed but we are gonna be using the cot for the baby so ds2 will need to move bed ,

my thinking is to get bunk beds and put ds1 on the top, we holidayed in NZ a few months back and for part of our time then we were staying in a cabin and ds1 was in the topbunk above the double bed DH and I were on, ds2 cant climb a ladder yet and ds1 can safely get up and down one no problems and has nver fallen out of bed. ds1 will be 3 1/2 in december

any thoughts?

Midnight_Fairy · Aug 29th, 2011, 09:06 AM

I personally would not put a child under 7 in a top bunk. My 5yr old has a midsleeper though x

Stardreamer · Aug 29th, 2011, 09:17 AM

My big brother was in the top bunk from 4 as my parents had the same problem. I think it depends on the child. If you are confident that he is comfortable getting up and down then ot's up to you. My neice stays with me a lot and I plan to get bunk beds for her and my daughter and she is 3.

Just to give you a heads up he will fall off the top bunk (playing not sleeping) lost count of the about of times me and my brothers fell.

OliveMartini · Aug 29th, 2011, 09:26 AM

Also personally I wouldn't put a child under 5 in a top bunk. I have seen and heard horror stories of children under 5 who have got hurt or even died as a result yet the parents swore blind they thought their child was old enough for one.

TwoMummies · Aug 29th, 2011, 09:47 AM

Like others would never put such a young child in a bunk bed, can he still manage the ladders whilst sleepy, waking in the night etc?

My son managed to severely break his leg falling from a mid-sleeper aged 6 years old, I can't imagine the damage he would have done to himself if it had of been a full sized bunk bed.

You can get toddler bed's with a cot at the top which may be a safer option?

sophxx · Aug 29th, 2011, 10:24 AM

I'd never put a young child in bunk beds every I think for me they would have to be at Least 8 maybe older depending on the child. So many serious accidents happen with bunk beds I'd Neva take the risk

Eternal · Aug 29th, 2011, 10:38 AM

Personally I would say 7, but as i dont have a child older than 20 months i dont really know, plus i dont have a problem with lack of room, but Im really safety concious, my MIL was talking about oru famaily holiaday next year, (all the family go away in a cottage for a week) and she said she really liked one that had 2 bunkbeds for the kids and i am really uncomfortable with that, even just leaving my son in a room with a bunk even if he isnt on the top (he is a climber). The oldest child is just 6, the next will be nearly 4, then my son will be 2, i think my special needs BIL might be there too, but he wont sleep on the top! eck!

Anyway, my point is, i wouldnt, but no idea what your solution would be. sorry.

Ju_bubbs · Aug 29th, 2011, 10:43 AM

My youngest son didn't go on the top bunk til he was 7, BUT.. that was mainly because he is SOO clumsy, he manages to fall over walking along a flat floor lol!

Floralaura · Aug 29th, 2011, 10:52 AM

I dont think I would do a bunk at under 5 either..and your DS2 may surprise you. I got DS1 a cabin bed a few weeks back and it has a ladder. DS1 has never been on stairs or steps as we live in a bungalow..yet he walked over to the ladder, climbed it and sat on the bed! We now have to take the ladder off the bed during the day so he cant go in there and get up, he can get up but kinda jumps back down lol
Could you swap room with the boys? Would that be a option to give more room?
We are currently in a similar situation..DS1 has his own room but its stupidly small and DS2 has mine and OH's room..me and OH drag our mattress into the living room every night and sleep in there as DS2 is not ready for a bed yet and his cot wont fit in DS1's room..and if we are in the room with DS2 he spends the night screaming until he can come in with us, yet he sleeps 7pm-8am if alone in the room..it sucks lol

marley2580 · Aug 29th, 2011, 11:12 AM

Well I'm going to go against the grain here. Kaya's slept on the top bunk since she was about 2 and a half. We bought nice solid wood ones with flat steps to the ladder rather than rungs. She can get down the ladder while sleepy, but usually she lies in bed and shouts for me lol. Blythe turned 2 last week and has been confident getting up and down the ladder for the last 6 months or so. I think that if you think your child will be fine in one then go for it.

Aug 29th, 2011, 07:56 AM	#1
lynnikins Pregnant (Expecting) BnB Elite Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: East Midlands Posts: 15,432	how old for bunk beds? At what age would you put your child in a bunkbed? top bunk? we are due our next baby in december and the boys room is a decent single but no room for twin beds , both the boys are big for their age and our eldest needs a full size single not a toddler/extendable style bed and we cant fit a toddlerbed and single in there, currently ds1 is on a camp/foldaway bed with a decent mattress caus its slim enough to fit with their drawers and the cotbed but we are gonna be using the cot for the baby so ds2 will need to move bed , my thinking is to get bunk beds and put ds1 on the top, we holidayed in NZ a few months back and for part of our time then we were staying in a cabin and ds1 was in the topbunk above the double bed DH and I were on, ds2 cant climb a ladder yet and ds1 can safely get up and down one no problems and has nver fallen out of bed. ds1 will be 3 1/2 in december any thoughts?

Status: Online

Aug 29th, 2011, 09:06 AM	#2
Midnight_Fairy Other BnB Spammer Elite Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: South Coast UK Posts: 31,618	I personally would not put a child under 7 in a top bunk. My 5yr old has a midsleeper though x

Status: Offline

Aug 29th, 2011, 09:17 AM	#3
Stardreamer Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Glasgow Posts: 230	My big brother was in the top bunk from 4 as my parents had the same problem. I think it depends on the child. If you are confident that he is comfortable getting up and down then ot's up to you. My neice stays with me a lot and I plan to get bunk beds for her and my daughter and she is 3. Just to give you a heads up he will fall off the top bunk (playing not sleeping) lost count of the about of times me and my brothers fell.

Status: Offline

Aug 29th, 2011, 09:26 AM	#4
OliveMartini Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: The North Pole Posts: 2,915	Also personally I wouldn't put a child under 5 in a top bunk. I have seen and heard horror stories of children under 5 who have got hurt or even died as a result yet the parents swore blind they thought their child was old enough for one.

Status: Offline

Aug 29th, 2011, 09:47 AM	#5
TwoMummies Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Cheshire Posts: 892	Like others would never put such a young child in a bunk bed, can he still manage the ladders whilst sleepy, waking in the night etc? My son managed to severely break his leg falling from a mid-sleeper aged 6 years old, I can't imagine the damage he would have done to himself if it had of been a full sized bunk bed. You can get toddler bed's with a cot at the top which may be a safer option?

Status: Offline

Aug 29th, 2011, 10:24 AM	#6
sophxx Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 7,761	I'd never put a young child in bunk beds every I think for me they would have to be at Least 8 maybe older depending on the child. So many serious accidents happen with bunk beds I'd Neva take the risk

Status: Offline

Aug 29th, 2011, 10:38 AM	#7
Eternal Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Swansea, Wales Posts: 8,004	Personally I would say 7, but as i dont have a child older than 20 months i dont really know, plus i dont have a problem with lack of room, but Im really safety concious, my MIL was talking about oru famaily holiaday next year, (all the family go away in a cottage for a week) and she said she really liked one that had 2 bunkbeds for the kids and i am really uncomfortable with that, even just leaving my son in a room with a bunk even if he isnt on the top (he is a climber). The oldest child is just 6, the next will be nearly 4, then my son will be 2, i think my special needs BIL might be there too, but he wont sleep on the top! eck! Anyway, my point is, i wouldnt, but no idea what your solution would be. sorry.

Status: Offline

Aug 29th, 2011, 10:43 AM	#8
Ju_bubbs Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: UK Posts: 5,174	My youngest son didn't go on the top bunk til he was 7, BUT.. that was mainly because he is SOO clumsy, he manages to fall over walking along a flat floor lol!

Status: Offline

Aug 29th, 2011, 10:52 AM	#9
Floralaura Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cymru Posts: 4,866	I dont think I would do a bunk at under 5 either..and your DS2 may surprise you. I got DS1 a cabin bed a few weeks back and it has a ladder. DS1 has never been on stairs or steps as we live in a bungalow..yet he walked over to the ladder, climbed it and sat on the bed! We now have to take the ladder off the bed during the day so he cant go in there and get up, he can get up but kinda jumps back down lol Could you swap room with the boys? Would that be a option to give more room? We are currently in a similar situation..DS1 has his own room but its stupidly small and DS2 has mine and OH's room..me and OH drag our mattress into the living room every night and sleep in there as DS2 is not ready for a bed yet and his cot wont fit in DS1's room..and if we are in the room with DS2 he spends the night screaming until he can come in with us, yet he sleeps 7pm-8am if alone in the room..it sucks lol

Status: Offline

Aug 29th, 2011, 11:12 AM	#10
marley2580 Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Forfar Posts: 6,505	Well I'm going to go against the grain here. Kaya's slept on the top bunk since she was about 2 and a half. We bought nice solid wood ones with flat steps to the ladder rather than rungs. She can get down the ladder while sleepy, but usually she lies in bed and shouts for me lol. Blythe turned 2 last week and has been confident getting up and down the ladder for the last 6 months or so. I think that if you think your child will be fine in one then go for it.
	Admin Approved Face painting in and around the Angus area.
Status: Offline

User Name		Remember Me?
Password